City Manager Appoints John Gross Director of Financial Management

City Manager Patrick H. West announced Tuesday the appointment of John Gross as Director of Financial Management, effective July 11, 2011. Mr. Gross is currently Director of Finance of the City of Aurora, Colorado.

“Long Beach is an incredibly complex organization, and I am pleased to appoint Mr. Gross to head our City’s Financial Management Department,” said Mr. West. “John Gross is a finance professional with a proven track record of solid financial management. His expertise will be critical as the City continues to offer outstanding services with limited resources.”

Mr. Gross has worked since 1990 for the City of Aurora, with a population of 325,000. In Aurora, Mr. Gross oversaw all aspects of the City’s finances, including budgeting, accounting, debt management, business licensing, investment and cash management, and sales tax collection and auditing. Mr. Gross has significant experience dealing with public pension systems. He sits on two pension boards, the Old Hire Police Pension Board, the Old Hire Fire Pension Board, and also is the Administrator for the Elected Officials and Executive Personnel Pension Plan.

His accomplishments over his career include providing financial stability to a municipal parking authority that had cash flow issues and could not meet payroll, turning it profitable in three short years. Mr. Gross has also helped lead the City of Aurora through a process to address that City’s structural deficit, similar to the process adopted several years ago by the City of Long Beach.

Mr. Gross has also served as Finance Director of Arlington Heights, Illinois, and the Fiscal Officer for the State of Illinois Bureau of Employment Security, and as an Interim Deputy City Manager for the City of Aurora. Mr. Gross holds a master’s degree in Urban and Public Affairs, and a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University. Mr. Gross has also been a committee chair for the national Government Finance Officers Association.

“I’m pleased to be appointed to this challenging position,” Mr. Gross said. “Long Beach is a dynamic City with incredible assets and a great team of professionals. I look forward to helping the Mayor, City Council and City staff keep Long Beach financially strong and provide services effectively and efficiently.”

Mr. Gross is replacing Lori Ann Farrell, who accepted the position of Director of Financial Management with the City of Huntington Beach in December 2010.